“I thought it was a gift from God”... Japanese cancer patient given months to live squanders 180 million won found on the street

[Financial News] A Japanese man in his 40s who had been given a terminal prognosis appeared in court, accused of spending a large sum of cash from a bag he found on the street.
On the 26th, Yonhap News TV reported, citing Japanese outlets Tohoku Broadcasting and TV Asahi, that 43-year-old Japanese man Takuya Suenaga had been indicted on suspicion of finding and taking a bag containing 22 million yen (approximately 184.68 million won) on a road in Aoba Ward, Sendai, on March 5.
The bag contained revenue collected from a game center, and investigators found that two employees of a security company responsible for transporting cash had dropped it while in transit.
At the time of the alleged crime, Suenaga’s cancer had returned, and he had been given a terminal prognosis by doctors that he had “about two to three months” left. He was reportedly on his way out of the hospital after receiving treatment.
While walking along the street, he spotted the bag and initially passed it by, thinking it was a student’s bag. But curious about what was inside, he reportedly went back and took it.
After opening the bag in a nearby public restroom and seeing the money, he stated, “I thought it was a gift from God.” He reportedly spent the money on cancer treatment and overseas travel, among other things.
At his first hearing, held on the 19th, Suenaga admitted all the charges against him.
The insurer reimbursed the security company for the money it had lost, and Suenaga agreed to repay the insurer 30,000 yen (approximately 250,000 won) each month. So far, he has repaid about 3.44 million yen (approximately 28.85 million won). At this rate, he will finish repaying the money in 2078, when he turns 95.
When prosecutors asked, “Given that you have been given a terminal prognosis, can you really repay the money by 2078?”, Suenaga reportedly replied, “I will repay it.”
Prosecutors sought a one-year custodial sentence, arguing that the defendant had increased the harm by spending the large sum of cash as he pleased.
The defense acknowledged that the crime could not be justified but asked the court to impose a suspended sentence, citing, among other things, that it had occurred immediately after he was given a terminal prognosis.
The next hearing is scheduled for the 6th of next month.
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter